I am an Irish watercolour artist, based in the Highlands of Scotland for over 25 years. I grew up surrounded by art, music, and nature with my artist mother and psychiatrist father instilling a love for all three in me. These gifts are now integral to me and are reflected in my work. I have a very positive outlook on life, despite what is going on in the world, but know that positive images of abundant nature lift people’s hearts. I love the challenge of painting flowers as there is a world of colour in each one. They are so delicate and translucent, yet strong enough to withstand the fierce weather we can get up here! The undergrowth is also full of life – yet another world. I want to capture this sense of abundance in every painting. I challenge myself to develop a skill in every painting so that they are all technically demanding yet satisfying pieces to paint. My compositions have to flow but remain interesting with a mixture of loose and detailed work. I usually work on rough full imperial sheets (300lbs/640gsm) and employ a variety of techniques – cohesive composition with vibrant colours balanced in different areas of the painting; graded washes; wet in wet; wet on dry; negative painting; soft and hard edges; light and darker values – all while maintaining luminosity and translucency. Success is when viewers feel joy, and a renewed sense of connection with the natural world.